These Southern Barbecue Baked Beans are an easy and classic Southern side dish. This simple preparation is a throwback to how my Grandmother's prepared their baked beans with a few ingredient twists. Perfectly seasoned and flavored with bacon these beefy beans are practically a meal in themselves. The ideal side dish for barbecue, family cookouts or picnics with friends.
Easy Southern Barbecue Baked Beans Recipe
Bacon flavors these beans beautifully, naturally. The bacon may be added to the beans prior to baking or you can lay the raw bacon strips on top before baking. The bacon strips placed on top of the beans is how my Mom and Gramma's made them for every family and church potluck I ever attended. The purpose of bacon is always to add smoke and a kicked-up layer of flavor. Either way you choose to use it, bacon is a must! You'll likely find some version of baked beans at any Summer cookout or barbecue but, at our house, it's an anytime dish. These beefy baked beans could be served as a meal in itself, when served over a hot buttered corn bread or corn muffins for a true taste of the South in your mouth.
How to Make the Best Southern Barbecue Baked Beans Recipe
- Ingredients you'll need to make homemade Southern Style Barbecue Baked Beans: Lean ground beef, center cut or thick cut bacon, diced onion and green bell pepper, two can prepared hickory flavored baked beans, barbecue sauce, one can Rotel tomatoes and green chiles, salt and black pepper, barbecue seasoning, light brown sugar, worcestershire sauce and whole grain mustard.
- Kitchen tools you'll need: A large oven safe 12 inch skillet (Or skillet plus a baking dish to transfer the beans for baking), measuring cups and spoons, sharp knife and cutting board, large spoon for stirring.
- The tomatoes used in this recipe are called Chili Fixins'. They are already seasoned for chili which adds to the flavor of the baked beans overall. If you're unable to find them, you could use a different brand or use classic Rotel tomatoes instead.
- You can use chorizo, ground turkey, ground chicken or ground pork in this recipe in the same amount as the ground beef called for in the recipe.
- You can fully assemble these barbecue baked beans one day in advance then bake just before serving.
- Store baked beans chilled in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in single servings in the microwave or in a 350°F oven in a baking dish just until heated through.
More Easy Beans Recipes to Make
Other baked bean variations you may like to try:
- Slow Cooked Pork Ribs and Barbecue Beans is a one dish meal.
- Root Beer Baked Beans are another flavor twist perfect for your next backyard soiree.
- Crockpot Barbecue Pork and Beans is a made from scratch recipe.
- Easy Refried Beans are packed with flavor making them ideal for your next homemade fiesta.
- My Pinto Beans recipe isn't like Momma's. They include seasonings that elevate the flavor.
- Classic Chili with Beans will warm you up from the inside out.
- Crock Pot Bacon Baked Beans from Recipes that Crock.
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Helpful Kitchen Items:
Southern Barbecue Baked Beans
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 386kcal
Ingredients
- 8 slices center cut bacon (Reserve 3 tablespoon drippings) cooked and crumbled or 8 slices to lay on top
- ½ medium green pepper finely diced
- 1 medium sweet onion finely diced
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- seasoned salt & black pepper
- 2 28 oz cans hickory flavored baked beans
- ⅔ cup barbecue sauce
- 1 10 oz can chili seasoned tomatoes i.e. Rotel Chili Fixin's
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 3 tablespoon whole grain mustard
- 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoon barbecue seasoning i.e. Grill Mates Smokehouse Maple or Barbecue Magic
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a 12-inch cast iron skillet or similar, saute the green pepper, onion and ground beef in reserved bacon drippings until no pink remains in the beef. Season with seasoned salt and black pepper to your taste. After browning, drain any excess fat from the pan.
- To the skillet add beans, barbecue sauce, chili style tomatoes, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, whole grain mustard and barbecue seasoning. Stir until the ingredients are well blended. Add crumbled bacon.
- Place into the oven and bake for 60-75 minuites.
- Stir well, and allow the baked beans to rest for 5-10 minutes on the counter before serving to allow the sauce to thicken.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 386kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 1062mg | Potassium: 348mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 90IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @melissassk or tag #melissassk!
My name is Melissa and I'm the Creator of Melissa's Southern Style Kitchen. Cooking, baking, developing recipes and kitchen tips is my passion. I love sharing my dishes and connecting with people through the food that I create.
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Dick
I've been doing this for years up here in CT, but without the cornbread (Yankees hate cornbread, LOL), with ground cayenne pepper and Adobe seasoning to zing it up a bit and served with some chopped raw onions on top. I call it New England Chili.
Christine T.
Absolutely divine! I made these beans on a rainy day and it was fit for a king. My husband that is! My husband is a picky eater and he enjoyed this recipe. I am going to make it for Mother's Day along with some cornbread. Keeping the day simple. Thanks for the recipe, I am keeping this in my archive to use often.
Melissa
How wonderful, thanks so much for letting me know!
Tanya Le Clair
World's Greatest Beans - I tossed my old BBQ bean recipe. I can't tell you how many rave reviews I received, a definite keeper!!!
Melissa
Tanya, what a sweet note! I'm thrilled you loved these beans as much as we do. Thanks so much for taking the time to let me know.
Melissa
Hi Courtney, thanks for you sweet comment. I think this would do perfectly in the slow cooker, just as you describe, cooking the bacon and beef and mixing it into the beans. It may not take 4 hours, just keep a watch on it. Happy slow cooking!
Courtney
I'm currently down an oven. Do you think it would work as well if I cooked up the hamburger mixture, cooked and crumbled bacon and put everything into my crock on low for maybe, 4hrs? I love your page! So many great recipes!
Melissa
Hello! When you get a chance to try it, I hope you like them. ☺
Anonymous
I`ve been cooking baked beans for a long time and I`ve never thought of put beef nor the tomatoes in my bean`s I`ll have to try this soon
Melissa
Hi Paula! Do you think you'd prefer a sweet red pepper instead? No worries, they're delicious with or without the pepper. Enjoy the picnic, blessings! Melissa
Paula Griffin
Looks like I may have found my recipe for the church picnic. I make one similar to this but think I will have to try this one (maybe altered just a little - green peppers are not one of my favorites) :)Thanks for sharing!
Melissa
Thank you Karen, indeed it is! It's delicious served over a sweet buttered corn muffin! 🙂
muddledmom
This is nearly a meal in itself! Looks great, Melissa!
Melissa
Didi, my family wouldn't know what to do with baked beans with no meat? 🙂 I also, cook and crumble the bacon and stir it into the beans as often as I put it on top. This method is paying homage to the great cooks before me. Enjoy!! 🙂
Didi
Melissa, I do my beans almost exactly the same way with adding the ground beef. My seasonings are a tad different and I don't do the bbq sauce, but what an astounding addition?? I so have to do this, it's almost identical. My hubby (major baked bean lover), and youngest dd thank you in advance!!!